"THIS IS GETTING GOOD, FOLKS! FIRST PLACE VERSUS THE RECOMMENDATION STUDENT! WHO'S GONNA REACH THE THIRD OBSTACLE FIRST?!"
The answer was obvious.
Gliding over the earth and tightropes like a Circus performer speedrunning a finale act, his speed didn't reduce one bit.
However, Todoroki spared no expense to keep up with him.
'Did he do this in Canon?'
Turning, he got a glimpse of the boy rushing after him through ice bridges. Such constructs would surely give the other students an advantage, but he didn't even bother to collapse them.
However, Todoroki couldn't care less right now.
He could have afforded to spare his energy if he were in first place and use a less conspicuous way to pass the obstacles, but Yuta's current pace didn't allow such luxuries. With Chakra, his running speed was beyond Olympic without using body flicker. 'He's not slowing down.'
Only halfway through The Fall, the sound of explosions caused him to look up.
"GET BACK HERE YOU BASTARDS. YOU'RE NOT GETTING AHEAD OF ME!"
'Bakugo!'
The boy screamed through the air, catching up quickly.
Todoroki's face crumpled.
'If I'm gonna win this, I can't afford to hold back.' Ice blossomed under his legs. Propelling him forward at rapid pace.
He wasn't trying to conserve stamina any longer.
"TCH!"
BOOM! A blast of astounding proportions catapulted Bakugo far forward. His smoking arms spasmsed. A pain he ignored in place for a wide grin.
"THE LEAD PACK IS FAR AHEAD. BUT BEHIND THEM, OTHERS ARE CATCHING UP. THEY HAVEN'T ANNOUNCED HOW MANY WILL MAKE IT THROUGH, WHICH MAKES IT ALL THE MORE TENSE. YOU CAN'T RELAX FOR A MOMENT."
Those who made it to U.A, all had some bright spots no matter how unremarkable. Most in general studies were only there because U.A's Hero course was too competitive. Others had abilities that weren't in line for the previous Entrance Exams.
Those with transformations clawed, jumped, or flew their way over the gorge. Those with gear shot way past it.
"Damn! This is awesome."
"I know right?"
"The current Top Three race is so thrilling."
"How the hell is first place from general studies?"
"Don't think it'll last long though. Do you know who the second place's father is? The Flame Hero Endeavor."
"Endeavors bloodline? No wonder he's so good. He's got such a sick Quirk."
In the Akutami home, Eri watched with rapt attention before turning to Aiko.
"Is he .. winning?"
"Huh?" Aiko was woken up from her absent-minded state. "I ... Guess." Her tone carried uncertainty. Though Yuta had explained his battle with Overhaul, this was the first time seeing it firsthand.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WE'VE GOTTEN TO OUR FINAL OBSTACLE." Yuta stopped at the entrance to the final challenge.
"WHAT WE HAVE HERE? ... IS A MINEFIELD! IT'S SET UP SO YOU CAN TELL WHERE THE MINES ARE IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY ..."
Present Mic stopped.
"OH COME ON!"
On screen, everyone saw the boy from general studies pause for a moment before resuming his run.
Not walk. Run.
His head was lowered, his legs moved at blistering speeds, and nothing happened whenever he stepped. There were no explosions, no blasts.
"I'M CONVINCED. THIS BOY'S LEGS COME INSTALLED WITH GPS!"
"I see. This is an obstacle that puts those in the lead at a disadvantage."
Todoroki on the other hand just arrived at the entrance, only to see Yuta dozens of meters away.
"But he certainly doesn't see it that way."
"OUTTA MY WAY." The voice was followed by an explosive bang as Bakugo shot past Todoroki.
"Dammit!" He created a wide ice path and ran on it.
"SECOND PLACE HAS BEEN OVERTAKEN AND IS NOW IN THIRD. THE RACE IS AT THE HOTTEST STAGE AND ... OH. YUTA'S OUT OF THE MINEFIELD. THE KID'S HEADING STRAIGHT FOR THE FINISH, WHILE TODOROKI AND BAKUGO ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP. THESE THREE ARE AMAZING. I WONDER WHAT THEY FEED THEM!"
At home, Eri turned to look at Aiko. "..." Aiko was stunned. "Don't look at me."
Yuta cleared the final strip of dirt—and the finish line loomed.
The roar of the stadium hit him like a physical force.
"HE'S COMING IN FAST! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN—YUTA AKUTAMI FROM GENERAL STUDIES IS ABOUT TO—"
BOOM.
A deafening explosion shook the ground.
Bakugo.
"OUT OF MY WAY, YOU EXTRAS!"
A massive blast rocketed him across the minefield, detonating several mines in chain reactions. Dust blasted upward in thick clouds.
Todoroki skated across the remaining mines with a rapidly freezing path, trailing behind the explosion cloud.
"Hah—don't think—!" Bakugo snarled midair, eyes locked on Yuta's back.
He pointed one palm forward.
"—you're winning that easy!"
Bakugo blasted himself forward, accelerating like a missile.
Todoroki gritted his teeth, ice growing violently beneath him.
'He's pushing harder than before!'
Aizawa narrowed his eyes at the screen.
"…Akutami hasn't looked back once."
"COURAGE!" Present Mic yelled.
"Or tunnel vision," Aizawa muttered.
The crowd rose to their feet as the three converged—
Yuta sprinting.
Bakugo exploding.
Todoroki ice-skating like a demon.
"THIS IS IT! THE FINAL SPRINT! A THREE-WAY CLASH—WHO'S GONNA TAKE FIRST PLACE?!"
"AND THE WINNER IS—"
A blur cut through the dust cloud, roaring like a missile.
BOOOOOOOM—!
A blistering comet of sparks and smoke tore past the tunnel entrance—
slammed across the finish line—
and plowed straight into the dirt.
Katsuki Bakugo hit the ground hard enough to gouge a trench several meters long, skidding to a smoking halt.
Silence.
Present Mic gawked.
"HUH?! KATSUKI BAKUGO?!"
Gasps rippled across the stadium.
A half-second later—
thump-thump-thump
Yuta burst out of the tunnel, boots skidding as he killed his momentum.
He slowed just past the finish line, easing off a sprint rather than throwing himself into orbit.
He turned back toward the field, breathing steady.
Todoroki arrived seconds later, ice-path carrying him until it evaporated into mist at the finish line. He landed silently, eyes trained on Bakugo's ditch.
Present Mic finally found his voice.
"KA—KA—KA—KATSUKI BAKUGO TAKES FIRST PLACE AT THE LAST POSSIBLE SECOND!!"
There was a moment of silence. Then ... The crowd detonated.
"NO WAY!"
"A general studies kid lost by that little?!"
"I thought he had it—Bakugo pulled a miracle!"
"That was insane!"
"It's too bad though. At his speed, he should have taken first place. The explosion kid came in a few seconds later."
"Hmm. Not much to think about. Even Endeavors son came in third."
"I know. This kid's Quirk should make him quite fast."
Even the pros were stunned.
"THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS! THE THREE-WAY CLASH HAS FINALLY BEEN DECIDED! FIRST PLACE—KATSUKI BAKUGO FROM HERO COURSE CLASS 1-A! HE TAKES FIRST IN THE OBSTACLE RACE!!!"
"Hardly impressive," Aizawa muttered.
"AS FOR YUTA AKUTAMI—FINISHING IN A STRONG SECOND SHOWS JUST HOW MUCH POTENTIAL THIS YOUNG MAN HAS! I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S IN GENERAL STUDIES!"
Aizawa wasn't listening. His eyes narrowed at the screen.
In the distance Midnight whistled. "That kid's legs are terrifying."
In the teacher's section—
All Might folded his arms, "Impressive I must say."
"I know right " Snipe tilted his hat. "Dunno how he pulled half o' that off. But I'll be damned—he earned it."
Power loader nodded. "Seems the principal was right after all. This kid's hiding stuff. Can't believed I nearly added support gear to this stuff."
"Huh?"
"Story for another day." Power loader waved dismissively.
"Right." All Might muttered as he looked at the tunnel. By now, the participants were clearing the third obstacle and heading to the finish line. One by one they came through the gates, with dust, dirt and exhaustion all over them.
'Sigh. Young Midoriya.'
__
Midoriya stumbled through the gate, panting heavily.
His legs burned. His lungs screamed.
He collapsed against the wall, hands on his knees.
'I didn't make it.'
The realization hit him like a truck. No first place.
No dramatic comeback, not even the top ten.
'I knew this was going to be hard ... But ..' He hadn't even got close. Todoroki and Bakugo had finished in the top three, alongside a third individual from General Studies, leaving everyone else struggling to catch up from the first obstacle.
He looked up.
The giant screens displayed the current rankings as more students crossed the finish line.
His eyes scanned the list.
1ST – KATSUKI BAKUGO (CLASS 1-A)
2ND – YUTA AKUTAMI (CLASS 1-D)
3RD – SHOTO TODOROKI (CLASS 1-A)
Midoriya's gaze lingered on the second-place name.
'Yuta Akutami… General Studies…'
He'd seen him before. The cafeteria.
But this?
This was something else entirely.
'The entrance exams were based on fighting robots. His quirk must have been unsuitable to pass.'
Midoriya turned his head—
And found Yuta standing near the edge of the field, hands in his pockets, breathing steadily.
Their eyes met.
Awkwardly.
Yuta raised a hand. Waved.
Midoriya blinked. Then awkwardly waved back.
Yuta turned away.
Midoriya exhaled.
'Why didn't I do better?'
He replayed the race in his mind.
'It's my fault. I should've been quicker. Smarter.'
He clenched his fists.
'Next time. I just hope I make it into the next round.'
'That's odd.' Yuta on the other hand, was doing the same thing.
If he remembered right, then Midoriya was supposed to take first place in the Obstacle Race. Sure, he knew his appearance would change that but he had expected him to have a thrilling. .. more noteworthy performance.
However, that wasn't the case.
Come to think of it, it wasn't strange. Ever since the race, he had been ahead. Todoroki behind him would try his hardest to keep up without any scruples.
Aside from the first robot crash, the rest of his actions actually ended up favouring the contestants. Especially the minefield.
More students flooded in.
Yuta noticed immediately—most of them were staring at him.
Like he was an exhibit in a zoo.
Whispers spread.
"That's the General Studies kid?"
"Yeah."
"Look at the tightrope scene. He just ran across them."
"Pretty metal if you ask me."
The replay screens cycled through highlights—his body flicker at the start, his sprint across the tightropes, his navigation through the minefield.
Over.
And over.
"SO THAT'S HOW HE DID IT. THE KID PRACTICALLY SKIPPED AHEAD OF EVERYONE AT THE STARTING LINE. HE WENT PAST THE TUNNEL AND THROUGH THE ROBOT ZONE IN ONE FELL SWOOP."
Present Mic exclaimed seeing the replay.
"TELL ME. IS THAT TELEPORTATION I SEE?"
"No." Eraser head replied.
"It's most likely speed based. His opener was probably just too fast to catch through regular eyes."
'Though it's weird he never used it again.' Aizawa thought. 'Is it took costly? Or did he just not feel the need to get past the finish line first?'
"WELL. THAT'S QUITE A COOL QUIRK THE KID'S GOT THERE. IT'S NO EXAGGERATION TO SAY HE'S ON THE RADAR AS IT IS."
In the teacher's section, All Might frowned thoughtfully.
'Popularity affects being a pro hero.'
His gaze shifted to Midoriya in the crowd.
'But young Midoriya…'
He sighed internally.
'He'll need to do better in the next round.'
"ALRIGHT! THEY'RE COMING IN ONE AFTER THE OTHER! WE'LL MAKE A LIST OF RESULTS LATER, BUT FOR NOW—GOOD WORK, EVERYONE!"
In the corner of the stadium, Bakugo leaned against the wall, hands on his knees.
His arms shook.
Not from weakness.
From rage.
"... That .. it wasn't a mistake .."
"He ..."
"Dammit…"
His palms sparked.
"Dammit!"
He turned, eyes set on Yuta who was currently lost in his own thoughts.
'Guess the training paid off.'
"Dude!"
A voice.
Sero jogged over, grinning.
"That was awesome!"
Kirishima followed, equally hyped.
"Seriously, man! How'd you move that fast?! And the tightropes—dude, you ran across like it was nothing!"
Yuta rubbed the back of his neck.
"Uh… practice?"
"Practice?!" Sero laughed. "Man, that's not practice. That's insane."
Kirishima nodded enthusiastically.
"You've gotta tell us your training routine sometime!"
Yuta managed a weak smile.
"Maybe after—"
"YOU."
A voice cut through.
Cold and Sharp.
Yuta froze.
Sero and Kirishima turned.
Bakugo stood behind them, eyes locked on Yuta.
Veins bulged across his forehead.
Sparks popped from his palms.
"You…"
Yuta swallowed.
"Uh… good race?"
Bakugo's expression twisted.
"You think I need your help?!"
__
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